Tropical Storm Dorian Comming?

Last full week of August finds Eli starting his third week of work and Anna moving back to Calvin. She’s part of dorm leadership this year so moving in a few days early due to that. Classes start on Sept. 3rd. 

While we wish we could be there to move her in. we’re very thankful for the family support both our adult children get while living in Michigan.

Last week went as expected with focus on planting trees, school, Konsey edit and getting the one side of the house more storm proof.

We borrowed the neighbor’s ladder so that Cory could paint a cement based coating around the rocks on the outside SE wall . 

He also drilled under our bedroom window so that any rain driven in around the window can drain out from the windowsill and not pour onto the floor. 

With a bit of fertilizer some of the trees and seeds are taking off. Since the top soil has been eroded away long ago by gardening and heavy rains, the results on the low-fertility subsoil is dramatic to say the least. It is good to see that apples don’t need much compost or fertilizer to grow well.

 The apple and pear seedlings in the kitchen window were nibbled during two nights by a messy critter. Frogs have also been visiting inside the house almost nightly and being put outside in the mornings. 

Last night Cory checked and saw that the plant eater was a large grasshopper like bug…and got rid of it. He’s gone out after sunset a couple times to the plant nursery to battle those large, "singing grasshoppers" that love to eat young, growing leaves. 

Cory finally noticed that some of the cement plugs blocking the roof tin ridges had moved, {maybe the very windy storm blew them inward?} With those back in place we hope that our nightly visitors remain outside.

This week will be more of the same. Cory hopes to visit the village soon. A goal is to start connecting with people who would appreaciate and protect some of the fruit trees that he has started or brought from Fauche. Once dry season arrives we plan to visit the village more often. 

Please pray that tropical storm Dorian doesn’t hit the Dominican Republic and Haiti later this week. We haven’t tried loading videos before, if it works here is a storm that was about a week after the hail. Then a few days later it came almost as strong from the other direction, leaking gallons of water into the other side of our house. Our house doesn’t leak with calm rain but strong winds accompany most rains on this mountain.

Thank you for you interest, prayers and support.